Over the years, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team has given the impression of a well-oiled machine that clicks into gear at precisely the right moments. Saturday’s ruthless 45-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Chepauk added further credence to that.
It followed a set template: a belligerent innings from Brendon McCullum (100 n.o., 56b, 7x4, 9x6), a late explosion by M.S. Dhoni (53, 29b, 4x4, 4x6), some miserly bowling by R. Ashwin (4-0-22-1) and well-backed up by the pace trio. But for another Suresh Raina failure, it had everything.
Set a mammoth 210 for victory, following the home team’s decision to bat first, Sunrisers was off to a decent start.
Skipper David Warner was his subdued self, but carried his team to 80 for two at the end of the 10th over. But, it lost its bearings in the next four overs, scoring just 22 runs, as Ashwin got into a strangulating rhythm.
In the 15th over, when Ishwar Pandey got Warner, caught by Dwayne Smith at deep mid-wicket following some persistent short-pitched bowling, the chase was off. Promoting Ravi Bopara ahead of Kane Williamson didn’t do the trick too.
Steyn left out
Earlier, Sunrisers left Steyn out of the attack which included four Indians, Trent Boult and all-rounder Bopara. The initial ploy was to cramp the batsmen by bowling close to the stumps and just short of a length. But, on those occasions when Boult and Bhuvneshwar Kumar erred, the batsmen were quick to latch on, like the six over midwicket by McCullum after dancing down the track to Bhuvneshwar.
The acceleration really began when Ishant Sharma was introduced. The lanky paceman was often too full.
And, he added to his and his team’s misery by overstepping regularly. His first spell read 2-0-23-0, and he was duly taken off.
Bopara, brought in to stifle the opposition, bowled an excellent first over conceding just three runs. It also brought the wicket of Smith, who was run out off a direct hit from Boult. But curiously, Warner took him out of the attack.
From overs 10 to 13, four different bowlers were tried and CSK plundered 55 runs — 43 of those by McCullum alone.
The 12th over was supposed to be Ishant’s attempt at seeking redemption, but instead he bled 23 runs. The most outrageous of shots came when McCullum crouched and lapped Ishant up and over the ’keeper’s head for a six.
What it did was to lay a perfect foundation for Dhoni in the final overs. The skipper, who came after Suresh Raina fell, stitched together a 63-run partnership with McCullum in just 35 balls.
The New Zealand skipper made just nine of those runs, but got to his hundred taking 11 of the last three balls of the innings. His first fifty had come in 38 balls; the next took only 18. It wasn’t a chanceless innings though; he survived a dropped catch by Williamson.
But, it was more than enough to take the wind out of the Sunrisers’ sails.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-sports/super-kings-smother-sunrisers/article7094053.ece
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